164: Investing in the AI IPO Boom: SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic

Participants:

Wes Read, host, PracticeCFOPaul Lipcius, CFO advisor at PracticeCFO, a CPA and Series 65 investment advisor focused on higher net worth clients and capital marketsHoward Farran, host of Dentaltown, who interviews Wes and Paul in this crossover episode

Duration: 71 minutes

With SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic all heading toward historic public offerings, dentists want to know whether to chase the hype. Wes and Paul explain why euphoric IPO pricing rarely rewards latecomers, how to capture AI's real growth through the less obvious companies underneath it, and why a doctor's own practice, not a moonshot stock, is still their highest returning asset.

Key topics

AI mega IPOs: SpaceX, OpenAI, AnthropicCapEx trickle-down and downstream suppliersConcentration risk in the S&P 500The practice as the core wealth engine

Key takeaways

Euphoric IPO valuations already price in years of unproven growth.The winner is often the second or third mover, not the first to market.Own AI through the picks and shovels suppliers, not just the headline names.A well designed portfolio's job is to be boring, disciplined, and consistent.

Actions to consider

Cap any speculative bet, a single IPO or crypto, at a small insurance sized allocation.Pick three or four practice metrics to improve this quarter instead of chasing every new one.Pressure test your advisor's fees: ask whether anyone other than you pays them.